Course Description:
The Nordic Ski Touring Instructors Course is designed to enhance the teaching proficiency and efficiency of trainers and instructors in outdoor education entities, military winter warfare, and other programs that teach cross-country skiing on non-groomed, natural snow conditions. This comprehensive course covers technical, teaching, and people skills, providing participants with the necessary knowledge and practical experience to excel in Nordic ski touring instruction. The course can be conducted at a location of your choice, catering to groups of up to 8 individuals.
Curriculum Outline:
- Nordic Ski Touring Fundamentals
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Body Position:
- Develop an athletic stance and access the range of motion.
- Understand skiing body dynamics, including rotation, lower and upper body separation, and tipping/edging.
- Master confident straight running.
- Maintain a stable body position to absorb terrain changes during straight running.
- Manage the center of mass over the base of support.
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Body Movements:
- Learn flexion and extension techniques.
- Practice adduction and abduction movements.
- Understand inversion and eversion techniques.
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Timing:
- Coordinate lower and upper body movements in various skiing techniques.
- Perfect the timing of down pressure for grip and propulsion.
- Master the timing of poling in different techniques.
- Instructor Training
a) People Skills
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Building Rapport:
- Establish relationships based on trust.
- Engage in meaningful two-way communication.
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Emotional Intelligence:
- Identify, understand, and manage your emotions and actions.
- Recognize and influence the behaviors, motivations, and emotions of others.
b) Teaching Skills
- Student Engagement:
- Collaborate on long-term goals and short-term objectives.
- Manage information, activities, terrain selection, and pacing.
- Promote learning through play, experimentation, and exploration.
- Facilitate the learner's ability to reflect upon experiences and sensations.
- Adapt to the changing needs of the learner.
- Manage emotional and physical risk.
c) Technical Skills
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Professional-Knowledge Fundamentals:
- Convey and apply accurate technical information.
- Observe, evaluate, and prescribe through movement analysis.
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Nordic Touring Skiing Fundamentals:
- Control the relationship of the center of mass to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the ski(s).
- Control the timing of body movements while regulating power application through the skis and poles to optimize propulsion (push-off).
- Control the relationship of the center of mass to the base of support from ski to ski (weight transfer).
- Use body movements to manage momentum (glide).
- Progressions for Nordic Touring Techniques
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Downhill Skills (changing direction, slowing down, stopping):
- Step turn
- Stem turn
- Wedge turn
- Kick turn
- Breaking wedge
- AVA turns (Start turns)
- Telemark turn
- Basic parallel turn
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Uphill Skills:
- Traversing skills
- Climbing
- V1
- Herringbone
- Herringbone with a Glide
- Sidestep
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Flat Terrain Propulsion:
- Double pole
- Walk with glide
- Diagonal stride
- Kick double pole
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Skiing with Heavy Loads:
- Modified techniques, such as the Nordic Lunge
- Body sleds
- Equipment considerations
- Equipment Proficiency
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Nordic Touring Skis:
- Skis with 2/3 or full metal edge, including structure (e.g., fish scales) or kicker skins.
- NATO's Asnes combat skis with kicker and full skins.
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Bindings and Boots:
- BC NNN bindings, Xplore BC Offtrack.
- BC NNN boots, Xplore System boots.
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Skins and Poles:
- Full skins and their proper usage.
- Nordic touring ski poles and their application.
Note: The course curriculum is subject to customization based on the specific needs and goals of the participants.